Joyce Renee Baumgarten

Joyce Renee Baumgarten, 64, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. Born Nov. 13, 1958, in Clinton, Iowa, to Alvin and June Chesley. She was the middle child of five. She graduated from Prairie High School in 1976. Joyce enjoyed her time spent as a server, a draftsperson at Rockwell Collins, bus driver, and being a board member on both the Cedar River Dragon Boat Association and the Willis Dady Homeless shelter. She enjoyed traveling, meeting new people and picking up new hobbies. She was always very outgoing and not afraid to spark up a conversation with a perfect stranger, a trait her father also had. She made an impact on a lot of people and will be greatly missed. She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Dave Baumgarten; her mother, June Chesley; her siblings, Allen Chesley (Kathy), Valerie Reilly (Stephen), Rhonda Chesley and Arlyn Chesley (Sandra); her daughters, Amber Carver, Jennie Callanan, Jessica McGraw (Josh) and Alyssa Farber; and seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father, Alvin Chesley. A Celebration of Life will be held 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at Radiant Church, 3233 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402. Family and friends are welcome to join and the family is asking that flowers not be sent instead they would like a donation to be made in Joyce’s name to Iowa C.O.P.S.